VanWillow

From the Top

So what is Emain Eye. From the top of the mountain behind Benone at Gortmore there is a viewing point which I refer to as Emain Eye, where there is a sculpture of the Celtic god Manannán Mac Lir (by John Sutton) looking out over the Lough Foyle basin.

Emain Ablach was an island paradise in Irish mythology. Regarded as the realm of the sea god Manannán Mac Lir and identified with either the Isle of Man, the Isle of Arran, or now of Lough Foyle and presumably Innisowen. When the “Broighter Hoard” was discovered nearby it was very clear that the locals considered Manannán Mac Lir as their sea god too. You can read more at Golden Gifts to a Sea God. Certainly there is an occasional local weather effect of a cloud creeping in from the sea which is consistent with Manannán’s habit of covering his movements by spreading a mist over everything. It is called Manannán’s cloak, also seen on the Isle of Man and at Arran.

According to the medieval Irish poem Baile Suthain Sith Eamhna, the god Lug Lamfada was reared in Emain Ablach. We certainly consider the entire area to be a paradise.